Chapter 66: The Story Behind the Story

Setting aside the expression on Old Belikov’s face—which looked as if someone had poked him in the rear five hundred and eighty-one times after he saw that the caravan had actually arrived and offered a purchase price even higher than what Luo Pei had claimed—there were actually other people who felt quite unhappy about the political achievement Luo Pei had gained.

However, these people did not come from Luo Pei’s inner circle…

In the Mayor’s residence of Wooden Bucket Town, Mayor Lloyd sat lazily in his study. Standing before him was a middle-aged fat man with a flattering face. If Luo Pei had been present, he would have certainly recognized this man. He was the one who had sent him away without even offering him a cup of tea. He was reportedly the neighbor’s classmate’s second uncle’s cousin’s brother’s nephew’s aunt’s second grandmother’s third concubine of the Mayor—some vague relation—and the owner of a fur shop. To Luo Yan, he was simply Laclan Sass, the only fur merchant in Wooden Bucket Town, who later expanded his business all the way to the Imperial Capital.

A hateful, damn fat man!

This was Luo Pei’s evaluation of Laclan Sass. However, Mayor Lloyd clearly did not think so. While he did not deny that Laclan was indeed fat, he felt that this fat man was actually quite cute. Well, if the gold coins the man sent every month could double, Mayor Lloyd would surely find him even cuter.

Lazily picking up a Zebay high-grade roasted cigar as thick as a pinky finger, Mayor Lloyd let the fat man light it for him while asking casually, “Laclan, how is the matter I arranged for you going?” If this scene were leaked, it might shock many people. Most people only knew that the only fur merchant in Wooden Bucket Town seemed to have a good relationship with Mayor Lloyd, but who would have thought they were actually this intimate?

Hearing Lloyd’s question, the fur shop owner—who was supposedly related to the Mayor through a convoluted chain of relatives but was actually in direct contact with him—replied eagerly with a greedy face: “It has long been handled, Mayor. Don’t you trust my work? I have already shut that blind, stupid Director out. I also sent word to Hall City. Please rest assured, absolutely no one will buy the furs from their village… Haha! You have no idea what his expression was at the time; it truly killed me with laughter!!”

Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Mayor Lloyd’s lips. He nodded and said slowly, “Very good… Laclan, you really are a talented man! Oh, by the way, go back and write an application. I feel we should care more for the struggling strivers who have no one to rely on; we should give them more policy support. Although our town’s finances don’t have much money, we can still scrape together a small amount of funding…”

The fat fur shop owner was overjoyed upon hearing this, and his face turned red with excitement. Just as he was about to express his gratitude, a series of hurried knocks sounded at the door. Mayor Lloyd was startled and then shouted loudly, “Come in!”

The door opened, and Aberine, Mayor Lloyd’s secretary, walked in. He stepped quickly to Lloyd’s side and whispered a few words in his ear. Suddenly, Lloyd’s expression became worse and worse, and finally, he glared fiercely at the fat fur shop owner.

Laclan Sass was confused by Lloyd’s reaction. Just as he was feeling anxious and wanted to ask about it, Lloyd said harshly, “Laclan, I just asked you how you arranged that matter from before!”

Laclan Sass replied in confusion, “Didn’t I report that it was already arranged…”

“Arranged?! Arranged my foot!!” Before Laclan Sass could finish, Lloyd suddenly threw the coffee cup beside him and cursed loudly, “You’re still playing dumb with me! Talim Village just sent their financial report for the year. Someone went specifically to their village to buy animal skins. Because of selling furs, the per capita income of their village has more than quintupled this year, and they plan to make fur sales one of their pillar industries in the future. Is this the ‘arranged’ you told me about, you son of a bitch?”

“What? Someone actually went to buy furs?!” The fat fur shop owner was shocked and cried out loud, “That’s impossible!!”

Lloyd became even angrier and immediately roared, “What do you mean impossible? Get out! Get the hell out of here right now!!”

The fat fur shop owner was scared half to death. He no longer cared to ask for details; he simply grabbed his hat to cover his head and stumbled out hurriedly. Behind him, Mayor Lloyd’s eyes were still wide with rage, and he breathed heavily through his nostrils…

…

Regardless of the speechless personal quality of rural and small-town officials like Lloyd, Luo Yan and the others could never have imagined that at this moment in Lons Pompey City, another very interesting scene was happening…

The afternoon sunlight was pleasant, adding a hint of warmth to the increasingly cold season. Earl Jerry Sloan, the Governor of the Lons Administrative District, was currently enjoying a sunbath on the lawn of the greenhouse in his mansion’s backyard. Suddenly, a sound of chattering voices drifted over. Earl Jerry Sloan frowned slightly and opened his eyes unhappily, only to find his favorite youngest daughter, Jessica Sloan, walking over with several maids, talking and laughing. His dissatisfaction immediately turned into a full smile.

Entering the greenhouse, Jessica Sloan saw her father and immediately ran over with a smile. With an expression seeking praise, she said, “Dad, I got a very nice Hodmore Great Black Bear skin from Sister Lin Lian today. If we make a bear-skin coat for you, it will look very grand!”

Hearing his daughter’s concern for him, Earl Jerry Sloan smiled so broadly that his eyes almost disappeared. Looking at the bear skin unfolded by the maids, it was indeed excellent. He said happily, “My dear daughter is truly capable. That girl Lin Lian is not bad either to be able to get such a good item.”

Jessica Sloan puffed out her chest and said proudly, “Of course! It’s not easy to get such furs. Sister Lin Lian only had this one. Hehe… Dad, I heard that a village Director traveled hundreds of miles to deliver it to Sister Lin Lian himself just to find a sales channel for his village’s specialty. Hehe, I didn’t expect there were people like that.”

“There is such a Director?” Hearing this, Earl Jerry Sloan was somewhat moved. Out of professional habit, he asked casually, “Jessica, which village’s Director was it?”

Jessica Sloan answered casually, “How should I know? But Sister Lin Lian signed a long-term supply agreement with their village. I heard her mention it once; I think it was Ho… oh, right, it was a Talim Village on the border of Hall City. I don’t know which town it specifically belongs to!”

Influenced by her father, Jessica Sloan was quite sensitive to administrative matters, so she happened to remember the general name. However, she did not notice that when Talim Village was mentioned, her father’s eyebrows frowned slightly.

Talim Village? Why does that sound familiar?

Tapping his temple and thinking for a moment, Earl Jerry Sloan still couldn’t remember where he had heard the name of this small village. He simply pushed the matter aside and began to focus on studying the bear skin his daughter had bought.

He had to admit it was a great piece of hide, much better than those they hunted in the summer…